Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that flummox people. Everyone I know seems to have some negative associations with childhood memories of brutally overcooked (i.e. overboiled) florets, yet, when presented with an actual tasty cauliflower dish, everyone likes it! The simplest way to cook cauliflower well is, I think, to spray it liberally with olive oil/sea salt/black pepper and roast in a hot (425) oven till it turns golden brown.
But that can get old, too. So here’s another way I really enjoy eating cauliflower. The idea is to chop it up finely, so finely that it resembles rice, and then to imagine it as rice! This simple little summer dish hits all the right buttons for me: healthy, spicy, fruity, creamy, crunchy, all in one! Here’s what went in it:
- one large head cauliflower, trimmed, stemmed, and diced
- 1 small torpedo (or other) onion, chopped
- 1 manzano (or other) chile, deseeded and chopped
- handful of “shishito” (or other) peppers
- 2 fresh plums, chopped
- handful of semi-dried tomatoes
- slices of avocado
Anyone else have any favorite ways to prepare cauliflower?
And PS — I think I’ve got gremlins in my email subscription server, to quote Karena. Sigh. I apologize to all who’ve received repeat posts, and will do my best to fix this annoying problem.
Eric,
Below is one of the easiest and healthy ways to cook the cauliflower and hopefully it will shift the children(even adults) paradigm about the cauliflower.
- Boil the cauliflower (about 3-4 mins) and run under cold water to keep the tenderness
- Chopped garlic (2-3 gloves)
- Sugar Snap peas (this will add the sweetness of the overall dish) without adding sugar. (Boiled 2-3 mins and run under cold water to keep the crunchiness)
-(Option) Water chestnuts (roughly chopped or slice it) – this will also add the natural sweetness besides the sugar snap peas
-Shrimps (pealed except the tails), devine (can butterfly it)
- Hoisin sauce, salt
pungent cauliflower. the exact same method of roasting with olive oil, salt, pepper. add minced garlic, lemon juice (chopped lemon pickle is better), capers, a couple of chopped anchovy filets, minced jalapeno, etc. etc. everything that shouts in the mouth.
sprinkling the florets with curry powder after roasting (or deep-frying….) is simple and awesome…
Yay, Russ is here! Thank you kind sir — some serious flavor blasting going on in that.
When I’m in a “calories-be-damned” mood I love cauliflower gratin (layer blanched and sliced cauliflower with a scandalous amount of gruyere and milk, then top with buttered bread crumbs and bake until oozy). When I am in a more reasonable mood, I make a curried potato-cauliflower soup (think potato-leek, with more punch). Have you tried making the cauliflower cake from “Mantra?”
Thanks Chris, that sounds good.
Karena, do you just sort of fry the veggies in Indian spices and add broth? Haven’t tried that cake in Mantra; it looks insane, even for me!
Another light idea:
- Boil the cauliflower florets (about 3-4 mins) and run under cold water to keep the tenderness
- Mashed garlic with salt (2-3 gloves)
- Greek yogurt – plain
Mix all with olive oil to taste.
Yes–lightly brown a chopped onion, some cloves of garlic, a few serranos, a good pinch of garam masala, and a big spoonful of (preferably homemade) curry powder. Add a chopped cauliflower and a few diced potatoes and saute until they are coated in the spices and take on a bit of color. I usually add just water and cook until the potatoes are soft. Puree in a blender with some cream and serve.
I’m ready for that soup RIGHT NOW.
Nilay — welcome. If you’re into Greek yogurt, you’ve come to the right place!
Nilay, ever tried to replace the salt with anchovy (ie mashed garlic with anchovy)? I love anchovy….
Chris,
I’ll try that.
Eric,
Thanks for wonderful blog. I live in Istanbul, we always always consume Greek yogurt (we call it just ‘yogurt’) at home – almost everyday! We love it.
Hi Eric,
Another intoxicating way of serving cauliflower is to make it with a Spanish flair:
1 Toss cauliflower florets with a good Spanish olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
2. Roast in a oven at 350 F about 12 minutes until the cauliflower is golden but still has a little crunch.
3. Cool slightly and toss with a little red wine vinegar, a little more Spanish olive oil
Add:
one dried anchovy, minced
chopped red onion
fresh diced plum tomatoes (skin on)
a few whole pitted Kalamata olives
4.Toss with rough chopped Italian flat leaf parsley leaves
5. Squeeze the juice of lemon about 2 tsp. over the salad right before serving
The dish is not only beautiful to the eyes but will make your taste buds dance the flamenco in your head
It is great as a side dish packed with satisfying fresh flavors
Just curious about whether the cauliflower in your salad is cooked? Looks tasty either way, but usually when I’ve heard of cauliflower “rice” it’s been a cooked dish.
Great ideas! I love cauliflower roasted as you described, simply steamed and drizzled with olive oil or melted butter, or in veggie curries. The “rice” looks delicious – is it cooked together or raw?
During the holidays we often do mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes.
Thanks Brenda — the most interesting Spanish/Moor cookbook I’ve come across in years is “Moro” — check it out.
Kalyn and Deana: Sorry for the ambiguity — it’s cooked. Everything in the dish (except the avocado) is gently sauted in olive oil.
I love cauliflower! Some of my favorite ways to eat it are roasted with balsamic vinegar and blue cheese, steamed with garlic then pureed with goat cheese, and just like you, I use cauli-rice all the time. I chop up fresh cauliflower and grate it in my food processor, then steam it in the microwave to serve with curries or stirfrys, or I'ved used it to make "fried rice".